


Performance Anxiety

by IRegretNothingAndEverything



Category: Sanders Sides
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, cute little gay fic, i love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 18:35:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16838128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IRegretNothingAndEverything/pseuds/IRegretNothingAndEverything





	Performance Anxiety

Virgil often spent time alone in the art room, just painting away everything that troubled him. The teachers never minded, he always came up with his best work when he was alone, so, if came to the point where one of the teachers just slipped him a key one day, and he could get into the room at any point in time after school that he wanted. 

Its how he found himself interrupted in the middle of painting from faint noises from the black box next to the art room. The black box was an actor’s hideout, if the didn’t want to hide with the rest of the actors in the green room, which was a strange thing, considering the fact that the actors were a mostly social group. 

Virgil set down the paint brush, leaving his jacket behind-his arms were still covered in paint and he was not going to let it get ruined-and stepped into the hallway. The noise was getting louder, and it sounded faintly like someone talking to themselves. What, Virgil couldn’t make out. 

He checked the door, and found it unlocked, slowly pushing it open. 

There, on the floor, was the lead role. He knew him vaguely from hanging out with Logan and Patton, but he didn’t like hanging around him as often he did Patton or Logan. He just seemed… too eccentric for his tastes. Virgil was pretty sure his name was Roman? 

Still, Roman was curled against the wall, panicked breathing forcing its way past the whispers. Virgil could make them out now, and he knew none of them were true. 

_ You’re a failure _

_ You won’t make it _

_ You’re going to choke onstage, and you’ll never be cast again.  _

Virgil knew panic attacks well, and slowly approached Roman, who he found to be crying, before settling in front of him. “Roman…” His voice was soft, but still, Roman jerked back, eyes wide and searching, landing on Virgil with confusion.

“V-virgil?” 

“Can you do something for me?” 

Roman swallowed thickly, rubbing his eyes quickly, but the tears wouldn’t stop, his breathing wouldn’t calm down, but Virgil plowed on. 

“Name five things you can see.” Roman’s eyes widened, and his eyes glanced around quickly.

“Y-you… The b-b-broken light… The.. sp-spider web in th-the corner… P-paint, you’re c-covered in it… Gold, f-from the costume.” 

“Good.” Virgil moved closer slightly, and Roman leaned towards him, as if seeking comfort. Virgil smiled slightly, moving to sit next to him and tugging him gently into his chest. “Now, four things you can touch.” 

Roman swallowed, holding onto Virgil. “M-my hair… The silk of the s-sash-sh… Your jeans… The w-wall…” 

“Alright… Now, three you can hear.” 

“Your voice… my voice… Th-the others, singing down the hall…” 

“Good.” Virgil shifted slightly, petting his hair back lightly. Roman was calming down, eyes still darting, but he wasn’t crying anymore, his breathing was calmer. “Two you can smell.” 

“R-rain… Flowers?” He seemed confused at that, but Virgil wasn’t about to tell him that it was Virgil who smelled like flowers.

“Alright, one you can taste.” 

“Mint.” Roman seemed calm, but his breathing was still a little fast for Virgil’s liking.

“Good, good, now, breathe with me, alright. Four in.” Virgil breathed in, Roman following. “Hold for seven.” Virgil smiled slightly, watching Roman close his eyes. “Out for eight.” Roman seemed calm after that, eyes opening again, looking up to Virgil. “You good now?” 

“Y-yes… of course.” Roman sat up, looking away, still breathing like Virgil had instructed. 

“Good.” Virgil debated a moment, before yanking a small scrap of paper from his pocket, and a pen from behind his ear, and scribbled his number down as he stood. He held it out to Roman, who took it, eyes going wide. “If you ever freak out like that again, text me. I’m more likely to answer texts.”

“P-patton said you never give out your number.” 

“Well, consider yourself lucky then.” Virgil left the black box, leaving Roman smiling behind him. Better than it was before. Maybe he’d go see Roman’s performance. 

He did end up watching this show. It only cost him three dollars, and, besides, He found Logan and Patton there, his comfort in his hoodie, despite the fact that his hands, arms, face, and clothing, other than the jacket, where covered in paint. 

He found it was Macbeth, surprisingly, and Roman was the namesake. Watching his slow decent into madness, even if it was acting, gave Virgil chills, He found himself staring wide-eyed at Roman when he was on stage, the dramatic nature of the man turned mellow for the character, and Virgil almost felt like he truly was going mad in the play. 

Had he not seen Roman minutes before the play, he would’ve assumed that he thought himself amazing. 

Patton had noticed Virgil’s on the edge of his seat staring, and, during intermission, asked about it. Virgil’s blush was the only answer he needed to go running to Logan. 

“Logan!” Patton quieted once next to him, and Logan raised an eyebrow, tilting his head. “What is it, Patton?” 

“Virgil has a crush on Roman…” Patton stayed quiet, hoping not to shout it out to the heavens, and Logan nodded slowly. “Before you ask, Virgil is over there blushing up a storm because I mentioned something about it.”

Logan smiled slightly. “Perhaps we can… help them? As I know, Roman has told me, that he finds Virgil interesting, while blushing.” Patton couldn’t contain his squeal. 

Virgil decided that, maybe, confessing his crush officially to Patton and Logan may have been a bad idea, seeing at both of them were now attempting anything and everything to get them together. 

Conveniently forgetting something at one of their houses and for some reason the other has to go with. 

Needing to do two different things at the same time, so they both disappear. 

Trying to get one of them to trip and fall into the others arms. 

That sorta thing. 

Virgil was done with it, but, when painting his way into the night to avoid going home, he often found himself painting the most random things. 

Like Roman with wings, carrying him into the sunset. 

Yeah that was random and totally not a daydream he had before. 

Still, he kept that one hidden in his closet where no one would ever find it. 

At one point, Logan succeeded into getting Virgil to trip, and Roman, in fact, caught him, but they were both too awkward to do anything about it. Logan felt like his brilliant plan had failed. It worked in romance movies! He’d say to Patton, who would also agree, shaking his head sadly. 

It all accumulated until Roman, when Patton and Logan were trying, straight left, frustrated and panicky. 

**Painting Emo:** Roman, you good? You alright?

**Over-Excited Macbeth:** I’m fine, Virgil…

**Painting Emo:** Lies, you never call me Virgil, i am always some nickname, whats wrong? 

**Over-Excited Macbeth:** just… 

**Over-Excited Macbeth:** Come to the black box. 

Virgil stood, made some excuse, and made a beeline to the A building, where the black box was. He pushed the door open, to find Roman pacing, hands in his hair. 

“Roman…” 

“No, I-I’m not having an attack, I’m just… a little scared for what I’m about to do.”

Immediately Virgil flew into a near panic himself, but Roman was looking at him blushing and he was getting closer, what-

Roman pressed his lips quickly to Virgil’s and Virgil’s brain short-circuited a moment. Roman drew away, thinking he had misread Virgil, and apology about to leave, but Virgil was tugging him closer, kissing him hard and fast, both of them were grinning, it was getting deeper, vaguely inappropriate for school and-

“Awww! Logan, I told you!” They broke apart quickly, looking over at Patton peaking in through the doorway, Logan just behind him. Logan, once realizing they were spotted, dragged Patton away quickly.

“Looks like its our turn…” Virgil mumbled. Roman looked over, inquisitively. 

“To get two nerds together.” 


End file.
